Lonely One's Love
by Cole-san
Summary: Just an attempt on my part to write a conflicted love triangle (as if there is any other kind) that happens to be LloydSheenaColette. Now with more action, or at least, an attempt at such. R and R please!
1. Lonely One

Disclaimer: Namco owns the Tales series. They own these characters too but they were designed by Kosuke Fujishima. I guess that's all, though just for the sticklers, Nintendo owns Gamecube and since TOS comes out for PS2 in a month or so, Sony owns that. And just on a more personal note, this is my first TOS fanfic so...hopefully I won't bore you too much.

Tales of Symphonia

Lonely One's Love

Chapter 1: "Lonely One"

By Cole-san

Flanoir was a beautiful place. Filled with snow and a sort of charming cozy feeling, the city spoke of quiet, special things that one tended to forget in the more cosmopolitan areas of Tethe'alla. For Sheena Fujibayashi, it was just kind of nice to find a place that was quiet and peaceful, much like her hometown, even if this peaceful place was very cold. She was sitting in her hotel room, calmly watching the snowfall from her window. It was late and no one was out and about, or probably even awake. So she continued to think about the sleepy city, as she was unable to sleep herself. The townsfolk were all quite nice, and the extreme poverty versus wealth of Meltokio, or the rabid hatred within Ozette were pleasantly absent from this place. Of course, not all the people living in Flanoir were kind. The doctor who she had suggested the group visit on behalf of Altessa, was quite rude, more so than she remembered anyway. He'd even made their group split up, leaving only herself, Colette, Genis, and...

"Lloyd..." She murmured aloud. The young kunoiichi/summoner was ill prepared for the deluge of feelings and conflicting thoughts that the youth in question brought to mind. When they had first met, she was in the midst of attacking his friend Colette, and then falling down an annoyingly convenient trap door. Not the best first impression in the world, but she supposed it was at least memorable if nothing else. After fighting her way through the mines she'd found herself in, not to mention avoiding a suspicious pile of bones and swords, which gave her a bad feeling, she'd emerged and tried again. This time she battled the group, and was soundly defeated. Even as they fought though, she found herself unconsciously studying the boy with two swords. In her home of Mizuho, such an unorthodox fighting style would have been frowned upon. Just one sword was cumbersome enough, but two? Yet he wielded them with impressive grace and skill. Nevertheless, other than being slightly impressed by his fighting prowess, she hadn't given him much thought at the time, as she was still so concentrated on her mission.

After more encounters, they'd encountered each other again in Luin. Taking a small break from her mission there, she'd been pestered by some local kids to play hide and go seek. A childish game perhaps, but in her village it was encouraged for children as it was one of the earliest training exercises in becoming a ninja. Being able to hide one's self and seek out those who were hidden were very important skills in her profession. So after some good-natured grumbling she'd agreed. It was in this moment of being off-guard and carefree that he found her. As she agreed to be "it" for their third game, Lloyd had stumbled upon her. Apparently the others in his group were scattered about the peaceful city, and so he was alone. Much to her surprise and embarrassment, instead of demanding why she wanted to kill Colette or what her purpose was, or even attempting to attack her, he simply commented that she was "nice."

"_No one had ever said that about me before...no one older than six or seven anyway..."_ Not liking the strange feelings brought on by being complimented not for her killing skills or looks, but rather for something much different, she blushed and tried to cover it up with anger. This wasn't the outrage that she felt whenever Zelos sleazily complimented her however, but much different. This was pleasant, this was...nice. Still she refused to let it affect her too much and darted off to avoid his infectious smile. Later calming herself, she swore to succeed in accomplishing her mission the next time they met. She couldn't allow something as foolish as her heart to get in the way. Wasn't that what her instructors warned her about during her training? Wasn't that sort of weakness what caused her to fail in making a contract with Volt all those years ago? No, she could not let it happen again. She would not fail again. Of course she did in the end. They defeated her again, and were almost finished with their great task. The task that would lead her world to ruin. Yet they spared her. She couldn't understand it. Why were these people so kind? Why did the destroyers of her world have to be so sweet and wonderful? It wasn't fair. She'd retreated once again, unable to deal with these sorts of things as always. Later she met them once again in Luin, injured and weak from the Desian attack on the town. She'd bitterly asked that they finish her this time.

"_I was ready to die then...I had nothing left...the same feeling as all those years ago after Volt..."_ Raine had even seemed to consider the idea. Perhaps she had been wrong; perhaps they were not so merciful. But at least, she would die with honor, unlike how she had lived her life. Yet it was he once again, who stepped forward, and argued on her behalf. Lloyd refused to kill her and instead, begged Raine to heal her of all things! It was then and there that she could no longer deny the attraction. She liked him. She liked Colette too, and Genis seemed nice enough. She respected Kratos, and even Raine, but Lloyd...her feelings for him were varied and strange to her. But it was at that moment that she realized them for what they were. The beginnings of love. Having never felt this way before, she was understandably confused, but she covered it well as always with her feelings, and decided to repay the group by joining them. That was a strange time for her. Fighting alongside the very people she'd been ordered to stop. Aiding them in ruining her world. Yet somewhere deep inside of her, she knew that they were not the monsters they'd been painted as. So she placed her hope in them. She placed her hope in him. Hope that they would not doom her world. Hope that he would find a way to do the impossible.

Shortly after that, she successfully made a contract with Undine. Despite her worst fears and memories, she made her first contract with a summon spirit. They then went to awaken the unicorn sleeping in Lake Umacy. That had been embarrassing. Much to her annoyance, everyone had automatically assumed that only Colette would be "pure" enough to speak with the mythical creature. She was "pure" too damn it! Even though that pervert Zelos would probably have it otherwise if he could. And so they had both spoken to the unicorn. And so her competition with Colette truly began.

Sheena liked the other girl well enough. She was kind and sweet, and really, everything she could have ever wanted in a little sister. Unfortunately, she was also her rival. She was so angelic and so wonderful, that Sheena couldn't help but feel rather inferior by comparison. After all, she was the failure, she was the outcast, she was the...enemy. Not being from Sylvarant, she had felt a certain sense of separation from the rest of the group, at least initially, while Colette was their darling.

"And his darling..." She whispered morosely as the snow picked up. Why was she sitting in her room, unable to sleep? Earlier she'd been pacing, debating whether or not she should go and try to talk with Lloyd. She knew he was under a lot of stress, having recently found out who Kratos really was, not to mention he was the unofficial leader of their mission to stop Yggdrasil. She knew he had a lot weighing down on him, and so she had been trying to work up the courage to try and talk with him about it. Finally she'd decided that she would do it and had silently made her way out into the hall and towards his room. That's when she heard voices form inside. Pressing her ear to the door, she'd listened as Colette asked him to go outside with her, and much to her despair, he agreed. Hiding herself in the shadows, she watched them exit and somberly went back to her room, not wanting to see or hear any more.

"I should have known better..." She'd never kidded herself. She knew he loved Colette. Yet a small part of her had felt hope. She had hoped that perhaps he might grow to like her. Perhaps he might feel more of a sibling love for Colette rather than a romantic one. It seemed that this was not the case. There were times though. All too brief moments in which he'd talk with her or pay attention to her, and the happiness she'd felt, the elation, was indescribable. Here was a young man who was too innocent to leer at her, too kind to insult her, and too strong to disappoint her. He would have been perfect save for the fact that he loved another. She had met him too late. Not like Colette...They'd known each other their whole lives. How could she compete with that?

"The answer is...I can't." She sighed and continued to watch the snow fall. Yes, Flanoir was a beautiful place, but from this moment on, it would no doubt hold nothing but painful memories for Sheena Fujibayashi, the lonely orphan who dared to love one already in love.

Author's note: Um yeah, so there you go. Pretty bad huh? Pretty angsty too...Well, it will be less so in the next chapter, I promise. So until then...


	2. Chosen One

Disclaimer: TOS belongs to Namco.

Lonely One's Love

Chapter 2: "Chosen One"

By Cole-san

She smiled cheerfully to herself: the bright and special young girl. She was in a field, a wide, breathtaking field of flowers located near her hometown of Iselia. She was five years old, and had been doing this for some time now: gathering flowers... by herself. No one wanted to play with the Chosen after all. The adults treated her like one of their own, and the kids treated her much the same. She was too young to be an adult, but because of what she was, the Chosen, she couldn't be a child either. She couldn't even be who she really was...Colette. No, she was the Chosen. She was special, she was different, she had a grand and incredible mission to fulfill one day. She couldn't just laugh and have fun like the other kids. That's why...she had decided not to cry anymore. That used to be all she did, but now...now she would always smile. At least, on the outside. No more tears for her. If she couldn't smile by accident, she would force herself to. That was what this five-year-old girl decided. That was what this Chosen decided.

From her position on the bed of her hotel room in Flanoir, Colette sighed softly. She wasn't sure why she had recalled that particular memory.

"_So long ago...back then, I felt so alone..."_ Shortly after that, she had met Lloyd, and she learned to smile for real rather than just for show. The problem was, she had already gotten into the habit of always smiling anyway. She suspected that even he, her best friend, didn't know how often she cried inside. Sometimes, late at night, she'd let herself cry on the outside as well; only when she was alone though, and never for very long. She couldn't afford to. She had to be strong...everyone thought she was so strong. The truth was, she had to hold onto that strength, that boundless optimism that everyone admired, with every fiber of her fragile being. If any of them ever realized how much of a struggle it was to not just break down and sob sometimes...she envied them so much. Envied them for their depression, their anger, their hate. Or rather, she envied that they could show these things and not be thought less of really. How often had she wished that some other girl somewhere else could have been the Chosen? More times that she could count. She would always hate herself after that...for thinking such selfish things. But she couldn't help it...

Thank goodness for Lloyd...her friend, her anchor, her love... Yes, she loved him. She had loved him for years. She swore that sometimes he was all that kept her sane. Even before she had really understood what that warm feeling inside her was whenever he was near, she knew he was special to her, as more than just a friend. Unfortunately, she had grown so used to hiding her true feelings behind a mask of cheer and laughter, that she found it amazingly difficult to tell him how she felt. It didn't help that he was rather clueless about these sorts of things.

Then along came an assassin. She couldn't help but notice all the looks of longing Sheena gave Lloyd when the older girl thought no one would see. Colette saw though. She liked the ninja girl a great deal of course. Truthfully, she admired her. She wished she had that sort of strength. The strength to suffer, be yourself, and still be a wonderful person. Sheena didn't have to hide; she didn't have to wear a mask. Sometimes she faltered, but she always came through in the end.

"_Not like me..."_ It was true. By contrast, she was always messing up. Her only successes were accidents. She was a poor fighter, a mediocre spell-caster, and a decent cook. By comparison, Sheena was a skilled warrior, a summoner, and a good cook.

"_She's also beautiful...and I'm a plain little ironing board..."_ Colette winced at her self-given title. As if to rub salt in it all, Sheena had become much more vital to their quest than she was. She was just a failed Chosen. What's more, her whole life was a lie. Her whole life she had been groomed to be the Chosen, and for what? To suit Yggdrasil's skewed little system? Yes she had often wished to not be the Chosen, to be a normal girl, but not like this...not now. Sheena wielded the power of the spirits, she was going to stand shoulder to shoulder with Lloyd and save the world, and where would she be? A plain little girl from a sleepy village, standing somewhere behind them, watching from afar. If anything, she was a liability; a hindrance...and she knew that very soon Sheena would work up the courage to tell Lloyd how she no doubt felt. Colette had been lucky so far, as the other girl was quite shy, but she knew it wouldn't last...and then...

"_I...I have to see Lloyd..."_ Her thoughts were getting too morbid. She needed to see him, her love. She rushed to his room, making sure to be quiet of course. Hesitantly, she knocked. Maybe this was a bad idea...No! She had to be strong! She had to do this; she had to tell him how she felt! It had to be now! If she didn't...then Sheena might...and then...she really would be all alone...

"_Tonight Lloyd...I'll tell you how I feel tonight..."_ Chosen or not, failure or not, she wouldn't hide how she felt. She would show him her true feelings. She was no longer the Chosen, she was Colette, and she would prove it tonight.

Author's Notes: Okay, part two more or less done. I'm not 100% satisfied with either of these two yet, but oh well. I know I promised less angst but I sort of decided to do this story differently than I originally intended. Bet you can guess whom the next part will focus on. Until then.


	3. Idealistic One

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine, I'm just...adding to them in terms of their relationships, because I'm weird like that.

Lonely One's Love

Chapter 3: "Idealistic One"

By Cole-san

For almost his entire life, Lloyd Irving had never looked back. He forged his own path, based largely on his own personal ideals and convictions, and did his best to live a life with no regrets. Then he killed Marble...then he was banished...then he learned the truth of the two worlds...now...he had many regrets...

"_I was so sure...so sure of what I was, what I wanted..."_ He thought. He was laying on the bed in his hotel room in Flanoir, his arms crossed behind his head, eyes staring up at the bland ceiling.

"_Where did I go wrong?"_ He wanted to blame someone else. Yggdrasil, the Desians, Kratos...and for a brief moment...Colette...

"_No! Don't even think that!"_ He told himself angrily. His friend was as much a victim as anyone. None of this was her fault. Yet a darker part of himself which he hated to acknowledge couldn't help but wonder how his life would have been had he never made friends with the girl all those years ago.

"_That kind of thinking is stupid...She's your friend."_ His mind latched onto that with a fervor he usually reserved for intense battle. She was his friend. Like a life preserver, the thought held him aloft in the storming sea that was his mental state at the moment.

There were two people in their group whom he trusted beyond anything else. One was Colette, and the other was Sheena. He trusted Genis a great deal as well of course, but he couldn't help but be bothered, if only slightly, by the younger boy's intense dislike of humans. Yes, the boy had reasons, good ones, but hadn't he, a human, always treated him with nothing but kindness? Even though there were just as many if not more reasons for him to hate half-elves? Yes, Genis was his friend, a very good friend, but this racial boundary that separated them would probably always stop them from being even closer. The age difference was also a factor. Five years was a long time at their age. And there was always that fear...that small little fear, that he might actually agree with Yggdrasil...that he might actually join the enemy...

"_What is wrong with me? Why am I being so suspicious of my closest friends?" _He knew the answer. It was because of him...Kratos. The man was his father. He couldn't deny that fact much as he wanted to. But what really hurt, what really made that fact anger him, was that Kratos was a member of Cruxis. He betrayed them, and if you couldn't trust your own father, then who could you trust?

Ironically, the person whom he had once trusted the least, Sheena, had become the person he trusted possibly the most. Maybe it was because she was so open, much as she tried to not be. There were no hidden truths or suspicious actions from her. She was true and honest, much like himself. Colette was the same way really, but the fact that she could become the vessel of Martel made things...complicated.

"_I'm afraid...if she does become Martel, then I'll lose her...so I've been distancing myself from her I guess..."_ He hated himself for it, but it was the truth, and since the revelation about Kratos, he'd been forced to be very truthful with himself.

"_It doesn't help that both Colette and Sheena have been acting really weird lately."_ Both girls had been giving him the strangest looks as of late. He recalled that time they all went to the beach with newly acquired swimwear. The looks he'd been given by the two girls when he'd changed into his trunks had puzzled him to no end. He had to admit though, that he'd gawked at them when they'd come out in their own attire. It was embarrassing, but he had to admit, he found Colette incredibly cute right then, and Sheena...his reaction to her rather revealing swimsuit was even more embarrassing. He thought his nose would never stop bleeding. It hadn't been as bad as Zelos though, who'd outright fainted.

Then there was that time when they all were invited to that fancy dinner party. Decked out in his somewhat uncomfortable formal attire, he'd felt extremely self-conscious, especially when some of the women there had made strange comments and giggled to themselves at the sight of him. He supposed he must have looked really silly. He certainly felt like it. Not to mention very out of place. Colette reaction to him had been to turn red, but Sheena...she'd turned so red that he became slightly worried for her health. She'd also stared hard at the floor the entire time they'd spoken, except once or twice when she would glance up at him, then slam her gaze back down. Thinking she was as self-conscious as he was, he'd tried to compliment her to make her feel more at ease, but that had seemed to worsen things, as she turned even redder. Not that he had been forced to try that hard to think up compliments for her. She was stunning in her elegant dress, and he had to admit that from a purely physical standpoint, Sheena was probably the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. Though Colette came in a close second.

He could admit that he was attracted to both girls, but he sincerely doubted that they felt the same way. Colette only thought of him as a friend. A very good friend of course, but a friend none the less. To be honest, it was hard to determine the extent of his feelings for her as well. He loved her of course, but was it as a friend? As a sibling? Or something more? Sheena was much more confusing if that was possible. He was pretty sure she either liked Orochi, Kuchinawa, or perhaps Zelos, considering how much attention she seemed to pay him, even if it was simply to rage at him or insult his lecherous ways. He knew he found her beautiful, and he admired her spirit a great deal, but was that love? HE didn't know...

"Stop thinking about it. Nothing will ever happen with either of them, so just forget it. We're friends, nothing more, nothing less." Nodding to himself, he decided to go to sleep. His mind and body were exhausted. Then he heard a knock at the door...

Author's Note: Okay, that's done, more or less. Sorry for not getting this out as expediently as I would have liked. School started on the sixteenth for me, and it's been sort of hectic due to them messing up one of my classes on my schedule, but I won't bore you with that. I'll bore you with this! Lloyd's part was actually the hardest to write, simply because he is rather hard to write in my opinion. He's simple-minded and clueless about romance, and that makes it difficult to write a love story centered around him. I tried to give him some depth, but I'm afraid he might have seemed OOC. I tried to maintain his ignorance while also making him realistic, but I'll let you all be the judge on whether I was successful or not. Anyway, think of these three parts as a prologue of sorts. The main story starts next time. Thank you for reading and until then...


	4. The Unresolved

Disclaimer: TOS belongs to Namco, not me. Just had to clear that up since I'm sure it was confusing a lot of people.

Tales of Symphonia

Lonely One's Love

Chapter 4: "The Unresolved"

By Cole-san

The village of Iselia was nestled in a distant corner of Sylvarant. Despite not being near much in the way of civilization, the people there did quite well for themselves thanks to a pleasant climate, fertile soil, and the large forest right outside the village gates. The occasional tourist would find a tranquil village with little to no problems, or so it would seem. Unfortunately, hidden behind the veneer of peaceful country life, the village had been a rather close-minded place. Hatred had run rampant in the little town, and the kow-towing that it used to give the Desians was also quite disturbing. This was all rather ironic, or perhaps not so ironic, when one considered that the village was practically the center of Martel worship in Sylvarant, due to the large temple located right next to it. Still, much had changed in the town, though outwardly it seemed the same. The people scowled a little less, the children played a little more, and everything seemed...brighter. This was due to two things. The first was of course the ending of the mana drain system that had reduced Sylvarant to the poor state it had once been. The second was a little less earth shattering but no less important. The people had, through much effort, finally shaken the yoke of bigotry off of themselves and moved past it. No more would they hate and despise for little reason. No more would they point fingers uselessly instead of working to improve things. Yes, things in Iselia were much nicer now. Yet, for one of the town's most famous residents, things were not so nice.

Colette was in her room, staring outside the window as she often did. When she was little, she would stare outside and dream of leaving all the responsibility and loneliness that being the chosen entailed. She would see the birds flying and envy them, dreaming that she could do the same. Just fly away...

"_Now I have wings, and I can fly...but I'm still tied down..."_ She thought sadly, thinking of her duties. It had been a little over six months since they had defeated Mithos and restored both worlds to their proper state. Six months exactly since the group had parted ways. Everyone had gone on to live their lives to the fullest. Regal resumed his duties, Zelos resumed his philandering, Presea helped to rebuild Ozette, the Sage siblings traveled in search of their mother, Kratos returned to Dherris-Kharlan, Sheena led Mizuho, and Lloyd...

"_Lloyd...where are you? Why did you have to leave? Why did you have to disappear...?"_ She didn't fight the tears. She couldn't even if she wanted to. The ache in her chest was growing worse.

"Lloyd..." 

Half a world away, but no longer a full world like before, the new village of Mizuho stood. Situated in an isolated point past even Hima, the relocated village was already starting to resemble its former self. There was still a lot of work to be done of course, but they were well on their way. This was in no small part due to the current Chief of the village, Sheena Fujibayashi, who had succeeded her adopted grandfather officially. The young woman was dedicated to her people and worked hard to better their lives, as any good leader should. She also trained relentlessly. She knew that it was the leader's responsibility to protect their people, and that meant being strong. Though already the most powerful shinobi in the world, due in part to her summoning abilities, Sheena knew that she had to be even stronger, in case a threat like Mithos ever appeared again. To that end, she had begun working on increasing her repertoire of fighting skills. She was already quite fast, but her seals just weren't effective enough on their own. So she decided to train using the kodachi she had inherited from her grandfather. Using the melee weapon in conjunction with her debilitating seals proved a formidable combination. She could now seal and weaken an enemy, then finish them off with her blade.

It was on this day that she was sparring with Orochi, who had proven to be even more powerful than his brother, Kuchinawa. In their spars, Sheena refused to use any summoning or seals, wanting only to practice with her sword and ninjutsu. By limiting herself this way, and isolating her training like this, she could improve in these areas much faster. Currently, they were engaged in a furious training session that to the casual observer would look like a duel to the death, judging by the potent ninjutsu and weaponry being used.

The two ninja moved at high speeds, their swords smashing against each other as they tested the other's defense for an opening. Sheena spun back and in the same motion unleashed a trio of kunai at her opponent. Orochi responded by throwing three shuriken, knocking her projectiles out of the air, and then throwing three more. With incredible speed, Sheena caught them in mid-air with one hand and threw them back. Behind his mask, Orochi smirked and leapt up into the air. Pulling a new set of shuriken from his side-pouch, he tossed them at Sheena, who rolled to the side. This was what he wanted however as he had predicted her move and was already in position to attack her while she was coming up from the roll and therefore off guard. Or so he thought, but Sheena surprised him by suddenly splitting into three separate identical forms as she rolled.

"_Damn, she created bunshin..."_ Not willing to risk attacking the wrong one and leave himself open, Orochi retreated again and readied more shuriken. He tossed several at each replication, but was further shocked when all three proved to be fake.

"_Oh no!"_ It was too late however. He felt a blade press against his throat.

"I win Orochi!" Sheena laughed and sheathed her sword. He turned, sighing.

"Yes Chief, you are the best after all." He muttered. The girl smiled and patted his shoulder.

"Aww, c'mon, don't look so down! You almost had me a few times." She admitted with a smile. Orochi nodded faintly, staring at her.

"_So beautiful and so skilled...truly, there has never been another like her."_ He thought with embarrassment.

"Anyway, thanks for the spar. I need to go have a talk with the village farmers. It seems our harvest might be a little less than we're used to. I guess Sylvarant hasn't fully regained its proper mana supply yet, since the soil is still pretty bad. We might have to find alternative sources of food for a while." She sighed.

"We can't even import food in bulk since we're supposed to be a secret village." Her downcast face seemed out of place. Orochi was used to it however. Ever since she had parted from her friends, she had been rather depressed, though she did her best to hide it. It saddened him, because she had seemed so much happier while traveling with them, even beginning to get over the Volt incident, but now...it was as though a part of her had died all over again.

"Still, I shouldn't complain." She said quickly at his concerned look.

"Chief...Sheena...you mustn't push yourself." He advised.

"I know, I know. You sound like the Vice-Chief." She laughed at his blanch.

"I'm just concerned." He muttered.

"I know. Thank you Orochi, you're a...good friend." She said warmly, but with a hint of sadness, before turning and walking off. Orochi sighed as he watched her go.

"_Damn you Irving..."_ He growled to himself, his hands tightening into fists.

In Goaracchia Forest, it is survival of the fittest. Only the strongest creatures live, and the weak ones die. Which is why most would consider it suicide for a group of bandits to make the forest their base of operations. But a group of bandits had done so. They were nameless, and not very numerous, yet thanks to their leader's surprising strength, they were more than powerful enough to survive in the forest. He hadn't always been so strong. Barely six months ago he'd been weak, and they had been small-time crooks. Yet now, they had half of Tethe'alla fearing them. One day their leader had changed. He had become colder, more commanding, and he had begun using powerful magic. Which was odd when one considered that he was human and had never shown any ability before, but his men were not about to question him, not when he could flay the skin from their bones, and he had after all, provided them all with exspheres. They had erected a crude safe house deep in the woods and it was there that they lived.

"Hey boss, are we gonna go on another raid? We might be able to get more exspheres from Sybak. Should I get the men ready?" One of the underlings asked. Their leader snorted derisively as if insulted. He was seated in a large chair, one arm propped up to support his chin.

"Be quiet and let me do the thinking fool." He replied with annoyance.

"Boss! Boss!" Another ran into the room, panting for breath.

"What?" The leader asked darkly.

"Someone's headed this way, and he's really strong! He's killin' every monster in his way without even trying!"

"Probably just some adventuring twit." The leader muttered with a sigh. The door to the house was suddenly thrown off its hinges and a figure entered. He was dressed in black, with a tattered brown cloak covering most of his body. His wavy brown hair, and piercing eyes were familiar to the leader however.

"You..." The leader leapt to his feet and growled angrily.

"I finally found you...Yggdrasil." The newcomer said with a slight smirk, before drawing twin swords, each ornately crafted with golden hilts and thin yet deadly blades. They were known as Kusanagi, or Grasscutter.

"This time...I'll finish you off once and for all!"

Author's Notes: I know, I know, I skipped way ahead. Sorry, but I will reveal what went on in Flanoir, just not right now. I suppose this is AU since many events, including the Flanoir talk, are a little different from the game. You'll see what I mean when I get around to writing them, heh. Anyway, hope you liked it, and sorry for the short length. I hope to make the next part longer by a fair bit. Next part should be coming soon.


	5. Entwining Once More

Disclaimer: Namco owns it. I just write a poorly contrived AU/sequel. So don't sue me Namco. I buy a lot of your games. I even bought Tales of Destiny back when it first came out! And I never touched the "translated" version of Tales of Phantasia floating around the net...cough...

Tales of Symphonia

Lonely One's Love

Chapter Five: "Entwining Once More"

By Cole-san

"This time I'll finish you off once and for all!" The cloaked swordsman yelled. The leader of the bandits smirked.

"Well, well, look who it is... That's what I hate about you humans. Like cockroaches, you simply refuse to accept your fate. But believe me Irving, fight me here and you will die." His right hand burned with magical power as he readied a spell.

"Shut up! For what you did to me...what you made me do...I will kill you!" Lloyd replied angrily, raising his swords and dashing towards his enemy. Yggdrasil's eyes widened. The youth was already right in front of him. He had barely blinked.

"What!" It was only by reflex honed from thousands of years that saved him, as he formed a shield to block the attack that followed, a decapitating slash. Lloyd paused and smiled slightly. Immediately he launched into a series of attacks that came so fast, even a former "god" like Yggdrasil found them difficult to block. What's worse, his shield was being broken down by the sheer speed that Lloyd attacked with.

"_How can a human possibly be so fast? How can anything?"_ His thoughts raged. Lloyd's smile grew more pronounced.

"What's wrong Yggdrasil? You seem to be having a little trouble." After several more attacks he leapt backwards, gaining some distance, and readied himself.

"Majin-ken!" The familiar attack erupted from his swords, a wave of pure force that raced along the ground towards his enemy. But much to Yggdrasil's shock, the attack had been improved tremendously, as it was now double in size and seemed to scream towards him much faster than he remembered.

"_Damn! This body is too weak to take on Irving! He's gotten much stronger..."_ Cursing, Yggdrasil concentrated for a moment.

"Explosion!" The powerful fire spell met the Majin-ken wave halfway, creating a massive cloud of smoke and dust that engulfed the area, blowing the hideout apart from the sheer power. When the smoke finally cleared Lloyd found himself alone, Yggdrasil having fled.

"_I let him get away again...damn it!"_ His fists clenched around his swords tightly.

"_You can run you bastard...but that's all..."_ Turning, he sheathed his swords and left.

Within the city known as Dherris-Kharlan, a single man dwelled. His name was Kratos Aurion, and he was training.

"_So...we didn't actually stop Yggdrasil after all...and Lloyd...how could I have been so careless?"_ His thoughts were grim though his face, as usual, betrayed nothing.

"_I had intended never to return from Dherris-Kharlan, but it seems I still have unfinished business after all...I know now that I should have ended this a long time ago. Now I'll repent and answer to my sins once and for all..." _Training hard in a specially built room that had adjustable gravity thus putting intense strain on the body, he continued to think even as he pushed himself to grow stronger.

"_It's a good thing I still have Excalibur...I'll need it for what I must do."_ His sword glowed faintly as he went through the motions of a duel.

"_Mithos...my old friend...for you and for my son...I will take care of Yggdrasil." _

Several days passed, and within Meltokio Castle, a flurry of activity began. The King had just announced that the old tradition of a world tournament would be taken up once more. All races were welcome, and all one had to do was simply sign up and pass a short eligibility test to insure that only the finest fighters would compete. Zelos Wilder, Chosen of Tethe'alla, and legendary philanderer could only whine to himself as he walked through the halls of the castle.

"_Ah man...why a world tournament? Now I have to sign up...but I could get hurt! This darling face, this marvelous bod! They could be damaged permanently! Women around both worlds would be so stricken with grief that they might die on the spot! Plus for all I know Seles might try her hand at it again! Okay then, it's decided, I'll just say I got sick and will have to miss out! That'll work!"_ He considered it for a moment, before sighing.

"_No, no it won't. Nobody'll buy that! What am I going to do?"_ Grimacing, he tried to think of something.

"_I got it! I'll go to Sylvarant and hide! Yeah!"_ Nodding to himself, he turned to leave the castle, when he bumped into Princess Hilda.

"Oh, excuse me Princess." He said quickly, in a hurry.

"Oh, Lord Zelos." She said with a smile.

"I am so looking forward to your competing in the tournament. I am sure you will bring honor to Meltokio." Every word she said was like a dagger in Zelos' chest.

"Ah, w-well, y-you see..." He stuttered nervously.

"Is anything wrong Lord Zelos?" She asked with concern.

"Oh nothing, nothing at all! Watch for me in the tournament my dear princess!" He laughed and rushed past her.

"_Oh man, now I really have to compete! Arghh! Damn my incredible and altogether irresistible combination of looks and libido!"_ He sighed dramatically.

"_Wait a minute...I've got it! If I invite all the others, they'll compete too. Then I'll just throw a fight with one of them, not looking bad since they're heroes too! And since they're my friends, they won't hurt me...much..."_ He winced as a particular thought made itself known to him.

"_Oh please Goddess! Don't let my opponent be Sheena! Please! Spare your humble Chosen!" _

Sitting at his wide and imposing desk, Regal Bryant sighed as more and more paperwork piled up, almost as though defying the laws of physics.

"_My desk is going to buckle under all this weight soon."_ He rubbed his forehead wearily, wondering when he had grown so sick of office life. He was the President of one of the most powerful companies in the world, so why was he so...melancholy. True that was his nature to some extent, but still...

"I suppose helping to save the world would tend to overshadow things like signing forms and approving policies." He thought, glancing out his window at the spectacular view it afforded.

"_Perhaps I should go on a training trip...I have gotten a little rusty since our journey."_ He mused. He had used his legs so much that his real fighting style, that which made equal use of all his limbs, had atrophied somewhat. The fact that he had fought at essentially half-strength for the entirety of the quest had stymied his growth as a fighter, though it had done wonders for his endurance.

"Mr. Bryant, letter from the Chosen for you." His secretary said as she stepped into his office. One of his eyebrows rose curiously.

"_From Zelos..."_ He took it wordlessly, nodding in thanks to his secretary, who smiled and left.

"Hmm..." He read the contents curiously.

"_A tournament."_ A rare smile appeared on his face at the word.

"_This might be just what I needed. I have two weeks though, I should train hard."_ Nodding to himself, he pocketed the letter and made plans for an extended vacation.

"I wonder if he'll show up..." 

Deep in a nameless forest outside of Ozette, a girl looking barely the age of twelve was chopping wood. The gargantuan axe she wielded would have given even the strongest of men some trouble, yet this young girl hefted it as though it were nothing. With one swipe, a tree that seemed to touch the sky it was so tall, was felled. Such was the power this young girl possessed. But like anything, this power came with a price. The young girl frowned ever so slightly as she cut the tree into smaller pieces and loaded it onto her large cart. Without pause, she began to wheel it back to the village. She was halfway there when she paused. Two familiar silver-haired figures approached her.

"Hello Presea, it's good to see you." Raine greeted with a smile.

"Hello Raine, Genis." She returned calmly. Genis was looking away uncomfortably. Raine smiled with strain and smacked him.

"Say something Genis!" She growled.

"H-hello Presea. Y-your hair looks um...nice." Genis said in a small voice. The girl had left her hair undone instead of putting it in its usual style. She tilted her head slightly to the side in puzzlement at his behavior.

"Is something wrong Genis?"

"No, nothing..." The young half-elf sighed. Raine smirked, finding it all very adorable.

"So how are things Presea?" She asked.

"Well enough." The girl replied simply. Raine sighed inwardly, not expecting much in the way of detail from the usually taciturn girl.

"Well, as for us, we're heading for Meltokio to see the upcoming tournament." She explained.

"Tournament?" Presea perked up ever so slightly, though only one who knew her for some time would be able to tell the difference.

"Yes, a tournament gathering all the strongest fighters in the world. Are you interested Presea?" She teased lightly.

"Perhaps...my father was a well-known tournament fighter before he became a soldier..." She trailed off.

"Well, why don't you come with us?" Raine asked. Genis gasped and blushed.

"I suppose so..." The woman in a girl's body nodded.

"Let me drop this load of wood off at Ozette and I'll join you." She stated. Raine nodded.

"Alright, sounds like a plan." The two women turned to go, leaving Genis to continue to blush and stare at the ground. A few moments later, the boy came back to himself and gasped.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

Camped somewhere near the great bridge, Lloyd Irving slept. One might think a simple fellow like him would dream of simple things. Things like food, or his travels, or perhaps his friends. The truth was, Lloyd Irving had not dreamed in some time, at least not pleasantly. It was always nightmares now. So much so, that he tried to sleep as little as possible. As he tossed and turned in his small, poorly maintained tent, Lloyd remembered in his nightmares what he did not want to in his waking hours.

No...please...no..." He mumbled. Flashes of fire, and blood, images of people dying, screams and pleas for mercy...he had to remember it all...the acrid stench of death...and his own gleeful smile...

"Please...no more..." He whispered, as the images grew more vivid.

"No more!" His screams rang out through the night. The tortured screams of one who was damned.

Within the mind of his newest host, Yggdrasil smiled. Everything was falling into place. The tournament would proceed, and the strongest fighters would come. But he would be the only one winning a prize.

Author's Notes: Uh yeah, sorry about the slightly longer wait and the fact that this isn't as long as I intended. Things are going to get more action-oriented soon, but rest assured, this is still a romance fic. I just have a bunch of ideas, and rather than write a whole other fic, I figured I'd just add them to this, so I apologize if it feels somewhat like I shoehorned them in or something. As for Yggdrasil being alive when you clearly killed him in the game, well...you'll see.


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